Every training camp under Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock has included a "team bonding" exercise.
Twice it has been at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. This past weekend, the Flyers spent a day and a half at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
Apparently, this team is in need of bonding. The Flyers have 25 guys on the roster, and given their dismal 1-5-1 performance in exhibition games, the group is lacking team chemistry on the ice.
"The physical and mental experiences by the players there, that is what we're looking for," Hitchcock said of the bonding trip. "We are looking for chemistry."

Many believe the Avalanche's chances of merely qualifying for the playoffs are remote, let alone being able to compete for a Stanley Cup.
"That's their opinion," Theodore said. "I feel really comfortable with the bunch of guys that we have here. We're working hard, and we have a lot of talent and great leadership with Joe (Sakic) leading the way. I'm really happy and looking forward to the season, because we have a great bunch of guys. That makes up for a lot of things.
"We don't really pay attention to whatever's around, what people are saying about this team. We're confident about our group. We like the players that we have here, and that's all matters."

I wake up this morning to find about 30 emails basically asking me the same question, How could the NHL allow the Devils/Sharks trade? Bill Daly responded...
from NorthJersey.com.

There was some question as to whether Malakhov was eligible to be traded because he is not playing, but NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an e-mail Sunday that the league approved the trade because, "It was a broader deal with real hockey consideration involved on both sides." Daly also noted that there is "nothing that would preclude Malakhov coming back and playing for San Jose if he chooses to."

more...it looks like the Devils are fine for the moment...
added 7:48am, check out Sharkspage for a San Jose point of view of the trade...

A very solid overall team, the Sharks will be among the leaders in the Western Conference this season and should battle the Ducks for the top spot in the division. San Jose has talented and deep forwards, solid goaltending and a strong defense, all the ingredients needed for success in the long term.
The surplus in depth in goal may be a boon as well. Should Toskala continue to play well, GM Doug Wilson will be able to move Nabokov — vice-versa — to shore up any other potential weakness that become evident.
The top two lines will put up a lot of goals this season, and the Sharks will be adept at keeping the puck out of their own net, so this is a team that bears watching.
Where they'll finish
Division: Second
Conference: Fifth

The New Jersey Devils acquired left wing Alexander Korolyuk and defenceman Jim Fahey from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Vladimir Malakhov, and a conditional first-round pick in the NHL Entry Draft.

Favourite memories? Neale has many.
"When you've done it as long as I have it's the next moment that's the best one," he said.
He remembers the night in New Jersey during the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs when Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld's tirade towards referee Don Koharski triggered a walkout by the officials. Neale and play-by-play man Bob Cole were forced to keep talking until the game finally started.
"It was nothing but hot air," Neale chuckled.
Then there was the 1987 playoff game that went into four overtime periods before Pat Lafontaine scored to give the New York Islanders a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals.
"I remember how hungry I was," Neale said. "I was also getting to the age where I couldn't go seven periods without going to the bathroom.
"The washroom in the old Washington rink was quite a hike and fairly crowded by the time I could get to it."

Spezza has never had a problem presenting himself.
On any given morning, Spezza can be found holding court in the dressing room, talking to anyone and everyone, about anything and everything -- from video games to the number of teammates who have babies to the state of the team and his own game.
"You have to be who you are," he says. "I would rather be honest and say what I feel, whether it's right all the time or not. I'm not going to second-guess myself."
That attitude carries over to the ice, as well, where he often attempts plays no one else would dare try, often looking for holes between skates and over sticks.

Now, if you're the sort of person who thinks of Ken Dryden more as a hockey player rather than a member of Parliament, get ready for Wednesday's launch of globesports.com, our significantly souped-up sports site. Hockey will be its key focus, although we are well aware, and will be paying plenty of attention as well, to the baseball playoffs, which begin Tuesday afternoon.
But hockey is Canada's sport and The Globe and Mail is determined to up our game. Our hockey writers (Eric Duhatschek, Al Maki, Grant Kerr, Tim Wharnsby, David Shoalts, David Naylor and William Houston, with regular assistance from the likes of Stephen Brunt and Roy MacGregor) are the best in the business. With the launch of globesports.com, you'll no longer have to wait for your morning paper to read them. They will be filing regularly from the rink throughout the day, as will members of the Hockey News team. If you have any questions for our writers, you can join them for a live Web discussion on Wednesday.

Ilya Kovalchuk could not contain his infamous temper — even though this time he might have been justified — and because of it, he didn't make it past the first period.
Kovalchuk's ejection for kicking after he received a vicious cross-check from Nashville's Jordin Tootoo, who was later ejected for a third-man-in penalty, led to a downward spiral of penalties and power-play goals. The Thrashers ended their 3-4 preseason with a 5-1 defeat before 12,070 at the Gaylord Sports and Entertainment Center.
The Thrashers can only hope now that the NHL takes mercy on Kovalchuk and chooses not to take any further disciplinary action before opening night on Thursday.

"He kind of slashed Vokey after the whistle, and I just went in there and kind of pile-drived him,'' Tootoo said. "That's part of the game — you want to protect your goalie. Every team knows that.''
Thrashers Coach Bob Hartley said the incident marked the second straight night Tootoo had run one of his players, blaming Tootoo for a similar act involving Steve Rucchin on Friday.
"It's two nights in a row that he ran someone and got away with it,'' Hartley said. "That's the way he plays and referees are there and they call the game and obviously he's a tough young kid.''

from the Edmonton Journal via Canada.com, TSN commentator Pierre McGuire, who was sounded out by the Pens for a player personnel job several months back but turned it down, said on his radio show Friday that a Western team was talking to the Pens about the 21-year-old who has tons of ability but has been clearly outplayed by former Blackhawks goalie Jocelyn Thibault in camp.
Pens GM Ray Shero says Fleury isn't going anywhere and goalie coach Gilles Meloche says the same thing, but maybe a Western club like San Jose or Anaheim, each with two No. 1 goalies, is sniffing around.
Certainly, Fleury has lots of blemishes on his game. As acrobatic as he can be, flashing his glove or diving to make stops, he gives up too many rebounds.

Technically, he needs more than remedial work, but he was also thrown into the fire far too early (playing in the league at 18, then being jerked back and forth between the minors and the Penguins).

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